More about Untitled

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Untitled, which is part of Carrie Mae Weems’ Kitchen Table Series, is the mic drop of feminist art.

She could have stopped working then and her legacy of badassery would have lived on forever. But what did she do instead? She kept making art and won the MacArthur “genius” grant.

This series in particular is a giant, genius leap forward for womankind. Weems explains that, “it’s a mock biography of one woman’s journey as she contemplates and negotiates what it means to be a contemporary woman who wants something different for herself.” She explains that women are accustomed to giving, while men, as depicted through this series, are accustomed to taking. The photographs in sequence show Weems selflessly giving to her man, then recuperating either alone or with other women, also familiar with unrequited generosity. It’s an amazing work to see as well as a great place to take your husband/boyfriend/significant other if you want to drop a not-so-subtle hint about needing them to step up their game.

Weems also noted that “even though it’s anchored around a black woman, my hope was always that it would be understood as a condition of women. And it exceeded my expectations, because women around the world relate to that piece, as do men. They see themselves in it.” So not only has she made a bold statement about the lives of women, but she has done so in a way that transcends race. Why she wasn’t on the list for possible faces of women on the $20 bill, I’ll never understand. She is nothing short of an activist through her art and we should put her face on money! Weems has also proven to be as iconic a feminist artist as Judy Chicago, Barbara Kruger, and Cindy Sherman and if there is a front line in the fight for recognition then Carrie Mae Weems is like Wonder Woman.

 

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